Published 10:26 pm, Tuesday, January 24, 2012

It's the second time the board has awarded Parker a bonus since he was hired in September 2009. In late 2010, he received a bonus that was 10 percent of his annual salary, which is $270,000. This time, Parker received 15 percent of his salary – the maximum incentive he can receive according to his contract, which expires in 2014. “It feels good,” Parker said, “because I think it reflects a continued confidence the board has in me and the overall team, that we think we are performing at a level that meets or exceeds their expectations.”

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Parker was recruited from Charlotte, N.C., where he headed the city's public transit agency and played a part in bringing urban rail to that city. Last fall, Parker helped VIA navigate a thorny deal to secure $190 million in local funding, which included huge contributions from the county and also the city, to fund construction of a downtown streetcar system here.

VIA's three new board members, appointed this month, voted for the performance incentive, following discussion in executive session. They are: Doug Poneck, whose firm, Escamilla, Poneck & Cruz LLP, represents several area school districts and was formerly counsel for VIA; Katherine Thompson-Garcia, who is director of community services for the AFL-CIO at United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County; and Richard Gambitta, who recently retired as director of the University of Texas at San Antonio's Institute for Law and Public Affairs and chairs the San Antonio Housing Authority's board.

Last fall, Gambitta also was named to head VIA's streetcar commission.